Looking for a lighthearted distraction from life, I went diving into the Life magazine archives and found just the thing– a Hollywood beach picnic circa 1944, with pretty ladies, handsome boys and a how-to guide on preparing freshly-caught Abalone steak sandwiches. The perfect way to start the weekend… Our picnic hosts are young actresses Martha O’Driscoll, Ramsay Ames and former Yugoslav swimming…

Summer is over. The angry clouds over Nôtre Dame make it look too sinister, Sunday strolls in Montmartre are more melancholy in dreary weather and the rain-soaked gravel in the Tuileries does no favours for your shoes. It’s not exactly the makings of a picture perfect Paris. But if like me, you’re a little stubborn (a little in denial) and…

This is how I like my outdoor terraces: deserted, tourist-free and preferably childless (sorry parents but screaming kids are just not part of my vision for an al fresco paradise). But since we’re coming out of what seems like the longest winter yet, at the first hint of sun, you can bet everyone and their…